Batch print/render of hundreds of SKP files

Al Hart

A request from a Render Plus Forum user:

I have a need to print or render a few hundred SketchUp files to JPG, does anyone know of an app that can do such a thing without touching every file?

I told him:

@unknownuser said:

I will put this request on the SCF Forum. If there is not a ruby for this I will make one.

Each one would create a JPG in the last used view.

Do you want a specific pixel width for the images, or would you just use the last size SketchUp was in.

Are all the .SKP files in a folder, or do you want to make a list of files to be converted?

brodie

I would be curious what he's doing with the .jpg's. I wonder if he's just wanting to use the .jpg's as a replacement for thumbnails since they don't work for many people. If so perhaps, he should try MysticThumbs instead which would be a better solution.

-Brodie

thomthom

One would also need to know expected output. Most render engines needs some kind of preparations in order to produce a good result. Also, how can any application know what kind of views he wants to render...

Al Hart

I was thinking of a simple script to load all .skp files in a folder and save a .JPG of the current view and screen size.

If I can't load a .SKP and save a view and continue in the same .rb file, I could use a DOS .bat file with a bunch of calls to SkethchUp.exe -RubyStartup save_image.rb

.BAT cleverly waits for the first SketchUp.exe to exit before starting the next one.

Al Hart

@unknownuser said:

I would be curious what he's doing with the .jpg's. I wonder if he's just wanting to use the .jpg's as a replacement for thumbnails since they don't work for many people. If so perhaps, he should try MysticThumbs instead which would be a better solution.

-Brodie

One of the problems thumbnail processing may have is that "modern" thumbnail generators can make large thumbnails for Vista and Windows 7, but programs which haven't been updated much still make old XP sized thumbnails.

Here is an image of "Extra Large" Windows 7 thumbnails for a folder with images, movies and SketchUp models:

So things that want to process thumbnails well may not have much to work with with SketchUp thumbnails.